In the public consciousness, there's a hard line between corp and runner. In the real world, things are a little more porous. The corp need the best hackers to run their networks, and some of the best hackers are ex-runners who like the idea of a regular paycheck. But sometimes things run the other way, and someone on the inside makes something like this.

Datasucker is used more often because it's tutorable and it's a virus, which triggers a lot of other nifty interactions. Ice Carver's always been too much of a tempo hit for me when I've tested it, but if it's working for you, go for it. It's not something your opponent will expect.
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KitsuAeryn27 Mar 2015

A resource that might be considered essential for the fixed breaker suite. It brings all strength 4 ice into consideration of the likes of Yog.0 and Mimic, and yet it did not see that much of an impact over the history of the game.

This would likely be due to two particular points. First, its Unique status means you are only ever going to get one reduction of strength from it at a time, and future draws become dead cards. Second, as a resource it is still not tutorable, so to find it you have to draw and dig deep.

It also means that more setup would be required before running on certain pieces of ICE, meaning the runner slows down. Aggression, or a way to stall (Control) the aggression of the other side, is one of the more important concepts any CCG or LCG, and in Netrunner it is no different. If you are going to be including Ice Carver then you need other ways to make the corp not move as fast as it might, while you look for it and get it set up to take advantage of its ability.

Paige Piper might very well bring this card around again, allowing the extra copies to be tossed out of the deck early.

(Written during the meta of The Valley, part of the SanSan Cycle. For more reviews like it, visit wyldside.blogspot.com)